Monday, December 14, 2015

The 1935 Clinton Telephone Directory lists the New Vienna Exchange as well as Wilmington, Sabina, Blanchester, Martinsville, Clarksville and Port William. New Vienna numbers take up two pages and indicate businesses, offices, and RFD numbers. A separate page lists new subscribers. The previous phone book is dated 1932 and the one following is 1940.

Two ads are included in the New Vienna pages – The Merlin Davis funeral home later became Smith Funeral Home. Merlin (1892-1948) was the husband of Mabel Davis who for years was the New Vienna correspondent to the Wilmington News-Journal, reporting all the New Vienna news fit to print, plus more. The second ad for D.R. Smith Service Station was on the location that later became the Shell Station.

Monday, December 7, 2015

On Pearl Harbor Day 1945, eight New Vienna High School Alumni who died in WW2 plus two more who attended but did not graduate were honored. Alumni honored were Lt. Wayne Steele, William Burton of Infantry, Lt. Wendell Binkley, Lt. Robert Rice, Lt. Robert Thompson, Pvt. William Linkhart, Pvt. William Lamar & Robert Oglesbee, Infantry. Two others are Kenneth Hamilton, paratrooper and Pfc. Charles Perry. Separate article in adjacent column is about Sarah Ridgeway who came in 2nd in Nation in Grange essay contest.

Wilmington News-Journal Dec. 1, 1945 p.2

New Vienna School to Honor its War Dead

Plaque on School Grounds to be dedicated

at Ceremonies on Pearl Harbor Day

New Vienna high school alumni members, who lost their lives in the war [World War 2], will be honored on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, with the dedication of a plaque on the school grounds during ceremonies starting at 2:30 P.M., Superintendent R.W. Fenwick announced.

An ornamental oak tree already has been planted in their memory on the lawn directly in front of the building and the bronze plaque will be placed near the tree.

Members of the Alumni Association raised funds for the plaque and tree by public subscription.

Eight graduates of the school lost their lives in action and tow others, who attended New Vienna high school but did not graduate there, were among the casualties.

In all 71 graduates of New Vienna high school were in the armed forces and two in Red Cross work.

The plaque reads: "In Memoriam. We pay reverent tribute to those from our midst who gave to their country the last full measure of devotion in World War II."

Dr. Robert Conard, of Wilmington, retired Army colonel, will give the address.

The rites will be held in the auditorium if the weather is bad, Fenwick said.

The eight alumni member honored are: Lt. Wayne Steele, navigator of a Flying Fortress who lost his life in Europe; William Burton, of the infantry; Lt. Wendell Binkley, pilot of a B-17 who lost his life in Italy; Lt. Robert Rice, of the Infantry who was killed in France; Lt. Robert Thompson, pilot of a P-51, killed in Italy. Paratrooper Pvt. William Linkhart, killed in Holland; Pvt. William Lamar of the Marines, killed on Iwo Jima, and Robert Oglesbee of the Infantry, who died in France.

Two others attended New Vienna high school: Kenneth Hamilton, a paratrooper killed on Corregidor; and Pfc. Charles Perry.

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1st Lieut. Wendell H. Binkley, born 1920, graduate of NVHS in 1938, pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber, was killed in action over Italy on Christmas day 1944, when his plane crashed into a mountain.. He was survived by his wife, Mildred Crisenbery Binkley, a son Douglas Binkley, parents Howard and Carrie Fordyce Binkley and a brother, Carlton James Binkley. His body was returned to the USA by Army Transport in 1948 and he is buried at the Sugar Grove Cemetery in Wilmington.

William Henry Burton, 1939 graduate of NVHS, was born in Clark County, Ohio in 1919. He served in the infantry, enlisting in 1942 and died in Europe in January 1945. He was survived by his wife, Mariel Elaine Kelly Burton, his parents, Clifford and Alberta McGillivray Burton, two brothers and four sisters. He is buried in Springfield, Ohio, where his family moved after his high school graduation.

Pvt. Harry Kenneth Hamilton, age 20, died in the Philippine Islands of wounds suffered on Corregidor on Feb. 25, 1945 while serving with parachute division. He had previously lived with his family in the Mt. Olive area near New Vienna and had attended New Vienna school. He was Highland County's 72nd known war casualty since the US declared war in December 1941.

Pvt. William Thomas Lamar, NVHS 1944 graduate, entered the Marines after graduation and was killed in action on Iwo Jima in 1945. He was survived by his parents Thomas & Rosa Lamar and his brother James Edward Lamar, who also served in the Marine Corps.

Pvt. William F. "Billy" Linkhart died in Holland (or Belgium) in January 1945. He was a former star basketball player at NVHS where he graduated in 1938. He served as a paratrooper in the Army. Survivors included his parents, Roy and Etta Beair Linkhart and three brothers, Donald, Paul and Robert. His brother Paul, in Army training camp in Arkansas, suffered a knee injury on the same day his parents got word of his brother's death, Feb. 1, 1945.

Major Robert Oglesbee, pilot of a bomber, was killed instantly in action over Belgium. He joined the Army Air Corps in August 1942, was stationed in England and took part in numerous raids over Germany and other Nazi held countries. Though listed as an alumni of NVHS, his name cannot be found in the graduation rosters. (Perhaps he is another person who attended but did not graduate or his name was inadvertently left off the graduation lists??) According to the 1940 census, Robert Oglesbee was 15 and living in New Vienna, which would indicate he could have graduated in 1942. He was survived by his wife Helen, parents Guy & Grace Oglesbee, and a sister, Frieda Oglesbee (Tibbett).

Pfc. Charles C Perry, born in 1915, died in Oct. 1944 during the Invasion of Italy. He attended NVHS. He was survived by his wife, Helen Louise Achor Perry (Watson Gall Wilson), a son, Charles Leland Perry. his parents Mr. and Mrs. Sam Perry of Logan WV, three sisters, two brothers and his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Achor. Another brother, Ray, was also killed in action in WW2.

2nd Lieut. Robert Franklin Rice, killed in action in France, on Nov. 11, 1944. The former basketball player, in command of an infantry company in the Third Army, was a 1933 graduate of NVHS. He was survived by his [ex?] wife Mrs. Adeline Rice, a daughter Druscilla, his parents, (New Vienna Postmaster) Hamer and Clara Newland Rice and his grandparents, Robert and Jennie Beekman Newland. Previously Robert had been married to Wanda Johnson Rice (Manthey), a 1935 NVHS graduate, and in Aug. 1944 he married Edith Atkinson Haage in Virginia.

2nd Lieut. Wayne M. Steele, 1937 graduate of NVHS, killed in action on April 21, 1944, as navigator on a B-24 bomber which crashed near East Dereham, Norfolk, England while on a mission which targeted an aircraft repair factory at Zwickau, Germany. Steele was a graduate of Ohio State University and also attended Purdue University. He was the son of William and Hattie Morris Steele, of New Vienna. He was also survived by a brother, Herbert, and his widow, Christine Boyd Steele (later McKelvey). Buried in New Vienna IOOF Cemetery.

Lieut. Robert G. Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Thompson, killed in the crash of his F-47 fighter plane in a forced landing on April 20, 1945. President of his senior class, Thompson graduated from NVHS in 1941. He was survived by his parents, Peter and Gertrude Long Thompson. His body was returned to the USA by Army Transport in 1948 and he is buried in New Vienna IOOF Cemetery.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Streber's Market, in New Vienna, Ohio, has been owned and operated by the Streber Family since 1931. In 1995, they moved from their downtown location to a new building on SR-73 on the north side of town. Following are some clippings and history about the family. Thanks to Barbara Johnson Mee and Courtney Streber Hoak for some of the information.

In 1930 Gleason & Jane Turner Streber lived with Jane's parents in Liberty Township, Highland County. The 1930 Census also states that they both worked in a grocery store, Gleason as manager and Jane as a Sales Lady [1]. Gleason was born in 1903, Jane in 1905.

The Streber family moved to the New Vienna area when Gleason became manager of a Kroger's market in New Vienna. In 1929 Kroger's decided to focus on larger markets and the store in New Vienna was no longer associated with the Kroger Company. According to the clipping scanned below, Gleason became an independent proprietor in 1932, associated with "Super Valu" distributor. He was the owner/operator of the store in New Vienna from 1931-1967 when he retired [2] and Bob took over the management of the store.

Gleason died of a heart attack in October 1974. Jane, a long time Sunday School teacher at the Methodist Church, died in 1976. Bob, Jane and Gleason's oldest son, managed the store after the retirement of his father in 1967.

When Robert Edwin "Bob" Streber was born on December 8, 1930, in Hillsboro, Ohio, his father, Gleason, was 27 and his mother, Mildred "Jane", was 25. He married Joellen Rulon on September 6, 1948, in Greenup County, Kentucky. He died on April 2, 2002, in New Vienna, Ohio, at the age of 71, and was buried there. Both Bob and Joellen were 1948 graduates of New Vienna High School. They were the parents of Robyn, Steven, Jeffrey, Gregory & Gretchen. Joellen died in 1981 and Bob in 2002. They have an impressive monument/memorial at the IOOF Cemetery in New Vienna [3].

Streber Family Memorial Monument - New Vienna IOOF Cemetery - Shows the Main St. Market location and the new store on SR-73

Bob Streber, left, rings the final sale, that of Lou Donohoo, right, for the old store.Wilmington News-Journal, 28 March 1995

Continuing story – Bob Streber, Streber's Market in New Vienna, jots down a memento, the store's last sales ticket at its old location, as he and his family close out one chapter in the family business and begin their start on another.

From one chapter to another

by Daniel Nixon, City Editor

NEW VIENNA –– The floor needs repair but the foundation is firm as Streber's Market prepares for some major changes.

For starters, second generation store owner Robert Streber marked the last sale in the old store recently as his two sons, Greg and Steve, put the finishing touches on the family's new 6,500-square-foot store on the north edge of town off SR-73.

Soon they will be opening their newly built combination convenience and grocery store.

On Saturday, the family closed permanently its downtown village grocery, in business there for over 60 years, as Streber, 64, looks to begin –– well, not exactly retirement. "Semi-retirement," he said.

The store, formerly a Kroger's, had been managed by Streber's father, Gleason, for Kroger who had sent him to New Vienna. Kroger closed it in the late 1920s as being in too small a town.

A few years later Xenia-based food distributor Eavey, later becoming Super Valu, approached Gleason about reopening the store, said Streber. His father thought Eavey meant for him to just manage the store for them, said Streber. No, they wanted him to be an independent proprietor.

That was in 1932, as the country slipped deeper into the Great Depression.

He didn't even have enough money for the cash register on opening day." said Streber. The Eavey representative pulled $25 from his pocket as a loan for the till. "It was really started on a shoestring," said Streber.

Other than a brief period farming, Streber's involvement with the store has been constant since 1950.

His late wife, Joellen, once chided him, "who are you married to, me or the store," said Streber grinning. "I guess I was married to both."

Memories go back father: Falling asleep on the bread shelves at 2 years old with his mother, Jane. "My first job was passing out handbills door-to-door when I was 5 for 25 cents a week," he said.

Streber's may sell food, but its stock-in-trade over the years has been people.

A lot of, lot of, lot of memories," said Streber, standing at the back of the long, narrow store as the last customers mad their way to the cash register.

The thing I enjoy the most is talking to the older people. They can tell you a lot of things that happened in the town," he said.

Though government regulations and changing times have made it more difficult to hire good, young help for the store, offering that first job has been another source of satisfaction over the years, he said.

"It allows them to earn some money when they're young, teaches them responsibility." How many have worked there? "Oh, I couldn't name them, "he said.

The two things the store has been blessed with, he said, have been loyal customers and good help.

"I guess the first thing you thank is the good Lord, my folks for starting it and my wife for sticking by while we developed."

Kroger Store in New Vienna Ohio c1928, Homer Williams, Mgr. Image Courtesy of Hayward Crone via Mike Whited. In 1931 Gleason Streber opened his own grocery in this location. (Martha Knauff confirmed that the aproned man is Homer Williams, her father. He became a manager of a Kroger's in Milford 1925 at the age of 21. Whether this photo is actually of a New Vienna store is unconfirmed.)

* * * * * * * * * *

The following first appeared on Facebook, Barbara Johnson Mee provided the following three pictures and the post that follows.

from Barbara Johnson Mee's Facebook post:
THEN AND NOW--------STREBER'S GROCERY
Streber's Market and Gas Station, located on Route 73 N. has its roots in New Vienna dating back 84 years ago. Gleason Streber, the man who started it all, was born in 1903, the son of Robert and Margaret Vanzant Streber. Gleason married Jane Turner Streber on Aug. 12, 1929. They had 4 children; Robert, Carey (Bo), John and Walter. In his early years Gleason worked for the Kroger's Co. and in 1931 opened his own grocery store in NV.

Thanks go to Courtney Streber Hoak, great granddaughter of Gleason Streber, for sharing the 1st photo and some information with me! In the photo Gleason and some of his staff are pictured outside of the original store which was located in the very center of NV. Courtney related to me that the photo was probably taken in 1934 according to the movie poster displayed in the window depicting a movie being shown in that year. Names written on the back of the photo were, L to R: Gleason Streber, Ed Turner, Martha Bernard, Jane Streber, and Archie Rawlinson.

Gleason, Jane and their family were the Strebers I knew when I lived in NV. What came as a surprise to me was that when the photo was taken, Martha Bernard, the lady who eventually opened a Beauty Shop in NV worked at the grocery back then. I had never heard that fact before seeing her in the photo and named on the back of the picture. (You learn something new everyday as is said). Martha eventually moved her Beauty Shop to her home located on Route 28 W.

In the 1960's Gleason retired to his farm located on Bernard Road and the Streber family continues to operate Streber's Market to this day.

2015 Former Streber's Market - Main St., New Vienna, Ohio

The 2nd photo, taken Oct. 2015, is of the space located in the very heart of NV where the original grocery was located. The building now sets empty, but my goodness, the memories it contains!
The 3rd photo is of the present day grocery and gas station which is located in the center of a field where the farm I once lived on was located. Back then I would never imagined the farm being gone or that Streber's Market would someday be located there.......Time changes everything!!!
Please add any additional information you may have about Streber's Market. Thank you.

2015 Streber's Market - this location on SR-73 on north edge of New Vienna opened in 1995.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Veterans Day in 1955 was the dedication of a new war memorial in the New Vienna park on the corner of Main and West Streets. According to the accompanying news article published in the Wilmington News-Journal, Nov. 12, p. 10, a brief ceremony on Friday afternoon was attended by about 125 persons. The high school band, directed by Mrs. Carl West, performed. Rev. Walter Cruzan (NV Church of Christ), Rev. Marvin Schamaun (NV Methodist) and Rev. Lee Palmer (?) were among the speakers.

Both pictures also include street views in the background – West Street in the top picture and the Marathon Gas Station on Main Street in the second picture.

Rev. Thomas Archibald, Hillsboro, delivered the dedication address at the Veterans Day services at New Vienna Friday afternoon when the village's new war memorial, at left, was dedicated. Rev. Archibald is shown speaking from a small platform to the crowd that surrounded the village park. At right is the New Vienna high school band that played for the dedication program. --Wilmington News-Journal, Saturday, Nov. 12, 1955 p.10.

Speakers at the dedication of the war memorial at New Vienna are shown above as they listened to the New Vienna high school band play during the dedication program. At left, Leonidus Hendrix is holding the American flag to keep it from being blown over in the strong wind. The speakers are left to right Rev. Thomas Archibald of HIllsboro, Rev. Marvin Schamaun, Rev. Walter Cruzan, Capt. James Stroud and Rev. Lee Palmer. --Wilmington News-Journal, Saturday, Nov. 12, 1955 p.10.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Thirteen students made up the NVHS Class of 1925, three men and ten women.

Brief biographical information, in alphabetical order by last or maiden name, is available below and is accurate only to the best of information known at this time. Please let me know of any corrections or additional information.

Helen E. Perry Menger (1908-1982) married Arthur Menger on New York, parents of Robert and Dorothy, they lived in NYC.

Opal Louise Phillips Roberson (1907-2005), daughter of Harley and Nancy Ann Johnson Phillips, married John Julius Roberson (1900-1991), parents of Nancy and John. They lived in Michigan and retired to Florida.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The NVHS Class of 1955 consisted of twenty-eight students. Also pictured are ten faculty members.
Due to the (relative) youth of these graduates, not as much information is available due to privacy issues. Please let me know of any corrections or additional information.

The NVHS Class of 1945 photo includes pictures of the faculty and many familiar faces. Sixteen graduates and eight faculty are pictured.

Brief biographical information, in alphabetical order by last or maiden name, is available below and is accurate only to the best of information known at this time. Please let me know of any corrections or additional information.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Possibly the oldest living graduate of New Vienna High School is a member of the class of 1935. Betty Gordon Stegman, born 1917, now living in Texas, is the older sister of Virginia Gordon Walker (1919-2014).

Many of the 19 graduates in 1935 spent their adult lives in New Vienna and were the parents of later graduates of New Vienna or East Clinton. Brief biographical information, in alphabetical order by last or maiden name, is available below and is accurate only to the best of information known at this time. Please let me know of any corrections or additional information.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

In 1963 New Vienna schools consolidated with Simon Kenton. In 1964 the school name was changed to New Kenton. In 1965 Sabina schools consolidated with New Kenton as described in the article and transcription that follow.

Wilmington News-Journal, 4 May 1965, p.1-2

On Request, County Board Joins Sabina, New Kenton

Upon request of Sabina and New Kenton local boards, the Clinton County Board of Education merged the two school districts at a special meeting Monday night.

The requests were in the form of resolutions asking that the county board consolidate the two districts. Sabina's resolution was signed by four of the five local board members Monday and New Kenton's resolution, made April 30, was the result of a unanimous vote of the five local members.

The resolution of consolidation by the county board was moved by Stanley Bernard, seconded by Carl West, and unanimously approved by the board.

The action followed n agreement by the two local boards in a discussion session March 12 at which it was decided that if a merger of the two districts takes place, such union should be formed by request of the two boards, asking that the county board consolidate the territories.

The consolidated district would include 1825 pupils, with 531 in high school. This compares to a total of 1677 for Blanchester (443 in high school) and 1481 for Clinton-Massie (440 in high school). The combined Sabina-New Kenton area has a valuation of $21.7 million for tax purposes. The area has 133 square miles.

The study initiated at the request of the two local boards March 12 outlined transportation proposals: Using Lees Creek village as approximate center (Reesville, kindergarten through sixth grade; New Vienna, kindergarten through ninth grade; Sabina, kindergarten through ninth grade). Many of the village youngsters of Sabina and New Vienna can continue to walk to school. From Sabina, approximately 145 to 150 pupils in grades 10-11-12 would be transported to the high school center over a short distance of seven miles in 15 minutes. The study estimates that buildings would be sufficient for projected enrollment over the next three to four years.

Contracts of all currently employed teachers (78 in the two districts) would be binding on the newly created board of education. "All teachers are assured of a position in accordance with their field of certification," the report compiled March 12 said.

It is suggested that athletics include two junior high and freshmen teams, one of each at Sabina and New Vienna. Basketball could be played at New Vienna gymnasium and football – which would allow the consolidated district to enter an athletic league – could be played at Sabina, using existing lighting facilities.

The proposed consolidation would lose 1.1 mills of tax rate because of adjustments required by law when districts are reorganized, and the district would probably have to vote this millage to regain present income.

The Sabina board, faced with problems of financing repairs, the need to employ a new administrator, and plans to upgrade school curriculum to meet minimum standards, has spent several months of study, including meetings with the county board, New Kenton board and Miami Trace board of education, as well as a public meeting for Sabina patrons where the board outlined some of its findings.

Since these sessions, both the Fayette County Board of Education and Miami Trace Board of Education have taken a stand that heavy enrollment at Miami Trace high school would make it inadvisable to consider addition of Sabina School District.

The consolidation of Sabina and New Kenton becomes effective June 2, unless a petition is filed with the Clinton County Board of elections carrying valid signatures that represent a number equal to 35 per cent of the qualified electors of the proposed district who voted in the last general election. By unofficial estimate between 900 and 1,000 valid signatures would be required.

If such a petition is received and found to be valid by the county board of elections, the county board of education then certifies the question to a vote, probably at the November general election.

About This Blog

Items of interest to those who live(d) in New Vienna or attended New Vienna Schools. Clippings, business news/history, people of New Vienna, class photos, alumni information, school history, stories, memorabilia and more.